Systems are known to protect people and assets within secured areas. Such systems are typically based upon the use of one more sensors that detect threats within the secured area.
Threats to people and assets may originate from any of a number of different sources. For example, a fire may kill or injure occupants who become trapped by a fire in a home. Similarly, carbon monoxide from a fire may kill people in their sleep.
In most cases, threat detectors are connected to a local control panel. In the event of a threat detected via one of the sensors, the control panel may sound a local audible alarm. The control panel may also send a signal to a central monitoring station.
Located on the control panel or nearby may be a display screen that displays the status of the fire and/or security system. In some cases, the display may include a map that shows fire detectors and a status of each detector.
The display may also show a separate window that includes a list of identifiers of activated fire detector and a time of activation. The map of fire detectors and the time of activation may be very important for firefighting personnel arriving to fight the fire. The maps provide an indication of activated fire alarms, and the list provides a time of activation. By viewing the map, the fire-fighter is able to determine a location of the fire and a path to the fire.
While fire and/or security systems work well, the displays are sometimes difficult to interpret. This is especially the case in the situation where a fire-fighter is unfamiliar with the secured area and/or where the fire has enveloped large areas of a facility. Accordingly, a need exists for better methods of displaying fire information.